Dogs will have their first estrous (reproductive or heat) cycle when they reach puberty. A dog's heat time or ‘’heat’’ is a female dog's rutting season, a time in which a female dog can become pregnant if it is allowed to mate with a male dog. Male dogs don’t have heat time and once they become sexually mature they can produce offspring at any time.
When is the rutting season?
On average, puberty (or sexual maturity) is reached at about 6-12 months of age, but this can vary by breed. Smaller breeds tend to have their first estrous cycle at an earlier age, while large and giant breeds may not come into heat for the first time until they reach eighteen months to two years of age. Differences between breeds are quite big - sometimes a dog can be almost two years of age before the first heat starts.
During rutting season, a female dog's behavior can change. They can be tired, in a world of their own, more restless than normal, bark more frequently, become a picky eater and when outside be especially interested in other dogs and tempting smells. They can also pee indoors even if out of character for them - the dog could during this time be subject to more time outdoors than usual. All changes in behavior are completely normal and usually the strongest changes happen during the first heat.
How long do they last?
The rutting season lasts approximately a month at a time. There are three different stages: preheat, heat and post-heat. In between heats is a rest period during which a dog cannot become pregnant. The duration of the rest period is typically six months, but it differs a lot between different dog breeds.
The first stage of the rutting season is pre-heat, which lasts from three days to about two weeks. During this period the dog’s genitals swell, the follicles develop and the bleeding related to the heat begins from the dogs vulva. It’s very individual how strong the bleeding is - in some it is barely noticeable and in others there is more mess. At this point male dogs are already interested in females, but females don’t let males get too close and reject the males attempts to mate. An unneutered male and a female experiencing preheat should not be left alone together because it is not entirely impossible that the male should impregnate the female. The female should for the entirety of the heat be kept away from unneutered males to prevent an unwanted pregnancy.
The actual heat lasts about a week. During this time the female is very submissive, and pregnancy is extremely likely. The female can be very interested in males at this time. At this stage pregnancy is very likely and if your intention is to breed puppies this is the time for it.
The last stage is post-heat. At this stage the swelling and bleeding slowly pass. During post-heat the female will no longer let the male close and reject all her suitors. The female can be more tired, but this is normal. On the other hand, if the dog starts licking more than usual, drinking more, peeing more or has higher temperature at worst they could have a uterine infection. If you suspect your dog has a uterine infection you must contact a vet posthaste. A uterine infection requires veterinary care.
If your dog has become pregnant during heat, they shall give birth 58-72 days after conception. If the dog hasn’t become pregnant it is possible that the dog can be subject to a false pregnancy. During a false pregnancy the dog's own body tricks them into thinking they are pregnant. The false pregnancy passes eventually and usually there is nothing to worry about. During a false pregnancy a female dog can carry toys more lovingly and make them a nest. The female might also produce milk, but the false pregnancy passes on its own when the aftereffects of the heat wear off.
During the rest period the dog’s hormone functions are normal and the dog cannot get pregnant until the next heat.
If you have no intention of letting your female dog have puppies, you can take them to the vet and have them sterilized. After sterilization the dog will no longer experience rutting season.
FINNERO products for heat
FINNERO heat pants are washable diapers (“panties”) for dogs in heat. It is put on the dog so that your surfaces and interior textiles are protected from the bleeding in your home and on the go. The heat panties also work with urinary incontinence for neutered females or elderly dogs.
If you have a female dog, it is recommended you get the heat pants early so the dog can get used to them before the heat. By putting the heat pants on the dog for a little while at a time and rewarding them the heat will pass without any problems.
Author: Eeva Ahervuo's career began in 1987 with a partnership in Töölö´s Pet Shop in Helsinki, Finland. In 1995 she started working in Faunatar pet shop chain, where she was a marketing manager. After wanting some new opportunities in work, she joined FINNERO's marketing in 2022. She is a animal attendant and she has numerous professional educations in marketing. However, dogs have had their very own place in Eeva's heart for over 40 years.
DELIVERY TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR FINNERO OY'S ONLINE SHOP
Valid as of 1.3.2023
General
The online shop’s products are sold by FINNERO Oy Ltd (VAT number FI27632665). Products are sold to consumer customers globally. In order to place an order through the online shop, the customer must be at least 18 years old and have a permanent delivery address. The customer must read and accept the valid delivery terms and conditions in order to place an order through the online shop. FINNERO Oy reserves the right to make changes to prices, delivery charges and delivery terms.
Note that depending on the applicable legislation that may vary depending on the country, customers may be entitled to further rights in addition to the rights defined in these terms and conditions.
If you need assistance or additional information, please contact us per e-mail at info@finnero.com or telephone at +358 40 623 9672.We accept calls Monday through Friday between 8 am and 4 pm Finnish time (UTC +2/+3).
Product descriptions and stock availability
FINNERO strives to ensure that the online shop’s product descriptions and stock availability details are up to date and correct. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the descriptions nor the availability of products. There is only a limited stock of all products.
If an order is placed and received successfully, but it subsequently becomes evident that stock availability details were inaccurate and the product has run out of stock, FINNERO will notify the customer immediately. In such cases, the customer may cancel or change their order.
FINNERO strives to present the colours and materials of the products as precisely and accurately as possible. Please note, that the screen settings of your computer, mobile or tablet may affect product images, whereby we cannot guarantee the accuracy of colours on all devices and with all settings.
Prices, costs and taxes
The published prices only apply to orders placed through FINNERO's online shop. Product prices include Finnish value-added tax (VAT) of 24 %. Order-specific delivery costs are displayed in the shopping cart. Delivery costs are added to orders in accordance with the ‘Delivery’ section below. For orders to be shipped outside the European Union, VAT will be deducted in the shopping cart in accordance with the section ‘Delivery’. The customer is responsible for all custom and tax fees for orders placed outside the EU and these fees are not included in the overall delivery price.
Placing an order and customer details
Products are ordered from the online store by adding the products to the shopping cart and making a payment on the "Checkout" page. It is not mandatory to register for placing an order, but registered customers can track the progress of their order on our website and check out their order history.
An order confirmation will be sent to the e-mail address provided upon ordering. We encourage you to carefully review your order. If you have any questions or for some reason have not received an order confirmation, please notify our customer service.
Customer protection
FINNERO handles customer details with confidentiality and is committed to not handing them over to third parties. Details will be provided to third parties only in accordance with these terms and conditions. According to the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the customer has the right to access and verify all the personal data that we have collected concerning them and to request that their personal data is rectified or erased from our customer register.
In addition to these terms and conditions, the customer relationship between FINNERO and the consumer customer is subject to the consumer protection legislation. Whether the consumer customer is registered or not does affect consumer protection.
Payment methods
We use Paytrail as our payment service. The accepted payment methods are Credit Cards (Visa, Mastercard). All our payment methods are fully secure. All personal information (such as payment information, email and address) and payment details are protected by encryption and by an additional authorization process.
Delivery
All orders are processed on business days, from Monday to Friday. We will deliver the order as soon as possible after the order has successfully been registered in our online shop. All orders are delivered from our warehouse in Tallinn, Estonia. Our normal order processing time is 1–3 business days. Please note that during high season, deliveries may take longer than normal. If the order processing requires more than seven days or we are unable to deliver the product, we will notify the customer per e-mail as soon as possible.
Deliveries in Finland
In Finland, FINNERO's orders are delivered by Posti or Matkahuolto. Delivery fees depend on the selected delivery method. For small-sized deliveries in Finland, it is possible to select Posti’s Small Parcel, which is delivered home together with regular day mail. Parcels are delivered to the selected service point or parcel locker. FINNERO reserves the right to send the order as a Small Parcel when the order meets the size and weight criteria, even if parcel has been selected as the order’s delivery method.
Delivery fees in Finland are as follows:
Small parcel (XXS) 5,90€ Pick up parcel 6,90€ Finnish Post home delivery 10,90€
Deliveries outside Finland
We deliver orders to almost all countries. Orders outside Finland are delivered mainly by GLS or DHL. The delivery costs start from €15.90. Exact delivery costs are calculated according to the size/weight of the shipment, the country of destination and the delivery method chosen. When you have added products to the shopping cart, you can check the delivery fees by entering your address/country details in their respective fields. Please note, the customer is responsible for all customs and tax fees for orders placed outside the EU which are not included in the shipping costs. Depending on the country of destination, delivery times outside Finland may take more than 14 days.
Exchange and return right
All FINNERO products have a 14-day right of return in accordance with the Finnish Consumer Protection Act. The customer is responsible for the delivery costs for returns. Make sure to keep the receipt until your product return has been processed. We process returns within five days upon receipt of the delivery. You will receive a confirmation by email, once we have processed your product return. When the return has been processed, the customer will be reimbursed through the original payment method. Please note that additional duties and/or taxes will not be refunded.
Unfortunately, we cannot offer direct exchanges. If you wish to order another size or model, please return the purchased item and place a new order for the exchanged product. We will refund the payment for the first purchase as soon as the parcel is received.
Please note that the returned products will be resold, so please treat them accordingly. Return rights apply only to unused products in salable condition. Please, check the fit of the product before removing any price tags or other labels. All labels and tags must be attached on all returned items. Returns should be made in accordance with FINNERO's return form’s directions. The return form is always delivered with the order. The form can also always be requested from FINNERO's customer service at info@finnero.com.
Return rights apply when the following conditions are met:
1. Exchange or returns have been made within 14 days upon the customer’s receipt of the order. 2. The exchange and return form filled in accordance with the directions or corresponding details have been sent to FINNERO. 3. The returned product is free of dog hair, all labels are attached to the product and the product is in unused and fully salable condition.
If we receive an exchange or return delivery that does not meet all of the exchange and return conditions above, we have the right to decline the exchange or return of the product. In such cases, FINNERO is not liable to refund or in other way compensate the product. The customer will bear the costs of a possible re-delivery. We will charge for the re-delivery according to the original postage fees.
Returns in Finland
The customer has the right to return their order fully or in part. Delivery costs for returns are always paid by the customer. If the customer returns the order in full, the delivery costs paid upon ordering will be reimbursed to the customer. The returns delivery can be sent to FINNERO through our customer returns contract number, which is stated in the exchange and returns form delivered with the order. When using the customer returns contract number, the customer will not pay anything upon handing over the delivery to Posti. But for orders or products returned through customer returns contract number, FINNERO will charge €5.90/delivery from the sum to be reimbursed to the customer. Remember to take and keep the receipt/voucher for the returns delivery, in case the parcel gets lost for some reason. Regrettably we can only provide a refund for a lost return once we have been provided with a proof of posting certificate.
Returns from outside Finland
The customer has the possibility to return their order fully or in part. Delivery costs for returns are always paid by the customer. If the customer returns the order in full, the delivery costs paid upon ordering will be reimbursed to the customer. FINNERO does not have a customer returns contract with service providers operating abroad, therefore the customer is fully responsible for sending returns from outside Finland. The customer must always notify FINNERO about the product return by email in order to receive more detailed instructions for the return. All returns are carried out through GLS or DHL. Once you have notified us of your product return, we will send you a printable GLS or DHL return label in a separate message. Delivery costs for the return are the same as the original shipping cost and will be deducted from your refund. A credit (excluding the shipping fee for the return) will be applied to your original method of payment after your product return has been processed. Remember to take and keep the receipt/voucher for the return delivery in case the parcel gets lost for some reason. Regrettably we can only provide a refund for a lost return once we have been provided with a proof of posting certificate.
Errors, defects and complaints
Upon receiving the delivered order, the customer must immediately verify that the delivery includes all ordered products. If the order is incorrect or the delivered product is defective, the customer must immediately notify FINNERO's customer service: info@finnero.com. FINNERO must be notified of an incorrect delivery or defective product within 14 days upon receipt of the order or product. If the parcel has been damaged during delivery, the customer must immediately file a complaint with the delivery company and notify FINNERO's customer service.
If the product has been purchased from other than FINNERO's online shop, the customer must always file a complaint with the place of purchase.
Rules and regulations
FINNERO's online shop and terms and conditions are subject to Finnish law. In case of dispute, Finnish legislation will apply.
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